People in the News

Finance

Steven M. Bullard, CPA, ChFC, has transferred from the BKD LLP administrative office to join BKD's southern Missouri practice as the new director of tax services. He has 28 years of experience providing tax and consulting services, including serving as BKD's firm-wide tax director for the past 18 years. As director of tax services for the southern Missouri practice, Bullard's focus is on tax tactics for individuals and business tax consulting for clients in a variety of industries.

Personnel

M'lissa Rodgers was named office services division manager for Express Personnel Services of Springfield. She has six years of experience in customer service and sales management. Rodgers joined Express Personal Services in June 2002. In her new position, she will steer the office services and professional recruiting and service efforts in Springfield.

Printing

Chris Dale was promoted to president of MWM Dexter. He joined the company in 1990 as senior vice president and has served in a variety of positions. Prior to his promotion, Dale was general manager and chairman of the company's operating committee.

Symphony

Larry Dissmore was appointed music director of the Springfield Youth Symphony, becoming the seventh director in the symphony's 46-year history. He has been in the Springfield musical community since 1988 when he joined the Evangel University music faculty as a full-time string specialist. At Evangel, Dissmore conducts University Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, String Ensemble and Opera Workshop. He also teaches courses in string techniques, conducting and applied violin/viola. He also is an active performing violinist. Dissmore is nearing completion of his doctoral work in orchestral conducting at the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Transportation

Daniel Rudge has joined the Springfield Area Transportation Study Organization as its first full-time executive director. Rudge has 14 years of transportation planning experience, having worked in that field in Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and Massachusetts. Prior to coming to Springfield, Rudge served as principal planner for the Richmond, Va. metropolitan Planning Organization, which is similar to the organization here. He has a master's degree in urban and regional planning from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor's degree in geography from Virginia Tech.

His duties include administration of the Springfield Area Transportation Study Organization, development of analysis tools for the recently expanded study area, corridor planning, preparation of the transportation improvement program to secure federal funding for regional transportation programs, maintaining an area-wide rideshare program, assisting local agencies in transit planning and operations and conducting studies as requested by the MPO Board of Directors.

Travel

Laura Bradley has joined the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau as communication coordinator. Her responsibilities include advertising sales and the bureau's Area Marketing Partnership Program. Bradley is a 2002 graduate of Southwest Baptist University. She previously served as a sales associate at Hannoush Jewelers.

Waste management

Mandy Hembree has joined Advantage Waste Services Inc. as the head of the accounts payable department. In addition to the duties associated with accounts payable, she also will work with the credit department and in customer service, after receiving extensive customer service training from the company.